Key case



Feb. 24, 1959 G. .1. MAGEAU, JR

KEY CASE Filed Jan. 24, 1958 FIG.2

FIG.I

FIG.3

FIG.7

INVENTOR- GEORGE .1. MAGEAU JR.

Attorneys n d W 8 Pm Q '2;s*1'4,740 KEY CASE design: Mageaii, Iiu, Fiskdale, Ma'ss.-,. assignorito Buxtoil, Incorporated; A swsm, Miss, a corporation of Massachusetts v Application January 24;1958, Serial Nth 710,910 mama- (cl. 150-540 This invention relates to an improved key case' ofthe type in which" the keys are "carried by individualh-ange'rs which in tomato pivotallyco'nnect'ed to a supp'ort within the case,-perrnitting a'hanger arid the key carried thereby to be swung outwardly of the case. The casein which the" support, hangersand" keys are enclosed has commonly taken the form of a stripof leather orsimilar material" to thecenter portion of which the" support is secured, the end portions of-the strip-being folded over the keys in overlapped relation and releasably held together by a snap fastener-or has taken the form of a centrally folded strip of leatheryth'e support" being secured thereto at one sideof the fold, the edges of the strip at opposite sides of the'fold beingprovided with the interengaging members of a slide fastener by which the support, hangers and keys may be enclosed between the folded portions'ofthe strip.

Each of these types of cases have their advantages and disadvantages. The first type permits a selected key and its hanger to be swung outwardly of the case and the side flaps closed over the remaining keys, the selected key being freely manipulatable through the open end of the case. This procedure is desirably and commonly followed where the selected key is to be used repeatedly within a short time, thus avoiding repeated opening and closing of the case, particularly when the person so using the key is unfamiliar with the keys in the case making repeated selection of the key difficult. Such procedure is also advantageous in the use of the automobile ignition key which remains in the ignition lock while the automobile is being driven. One disadvantage of this fold or flap type of case is that both ends are open when the case is closed permitting coins and similar articles to work their way into the case when such articles are carried in the same pocket with the key case.

The complete closure afforded by the slide fastener closed case prevents the entrance of foreign articles into the case and while a selected key may be swung outwardly of the case and the latter partly closed by the slide fastener, the tooth edges exposed along the unclosed portion of the case interfere with the free manipulation of the selected key.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a key case which has all the advantages above pointed out without the mentioned disadvantages and in addition provide greater protection for the keys, and an enhanced appearance and a longer lived key case construction.

Other and further objects residing in the details of construction will be made apparent in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a key case embodying the invention, the case being closed;

Fig. 2 is a; similar view showing the case open;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2, parts being broken away;

Fig. 4" is a fragmentary sectional view, substantially on lineIV-'-IV of Fig.- 3 and on a larger scale;

Fig." 5 is a top plan view'of tlie'case closed; I Fig. 6 is"a--fragmentary detail view of'an'alternative sp'ring'arrangement; and

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional viewsubstantially on line VII--VII of Fig. 6.

Referring-to the drawings, the case is shownas comprising twoopposed tray shapedmembers generally-indicated at1 and 2, havingequal'length andwidth dimensions, which are hinged-togeth'eras' generallyin'dicated at 3 for swinging toward and from each other: When the members 1 and 2- are swung together theyform a closed 1 compartment between them of a depth 1 equal to the sum of thedepths 'of the trays. I

As shown'in Figs. 3 and 4 the trays eachcomprise arigid tray shaped-member 4,'pref'erably formed of metal, the centralportion of each member 4 being cut away to form' an opening 51 The top flange G-of each tray is formed with an elongated notch 7 which, when the case is closed are opposed to form an elongated opening 8 (Fig; 5) along the top of the case. The

' opening 5 is closed by a sheet'of plastic material 9, such as cellulose acetate, cemented or otherwise secured to the outer face ofthe tray member 4. The sheet 9" is of suflicient dimensions to extend well beyond the edges ofopening 5 and ofa thickness to be stiffly flexible and provide a slight flexibility to the central portion of the side walls of the case. A relatively'thin sheet; of soft material 10, preferably polyeur'ethene foam, is superposed over the sheet-9-, the sheet 10 extending to'the flanges of the tray member 4, and tlie whole iscovered with a sheet 11 of leather, or other decorative material, the edges of the sheet 11 being carried over and inwardly of the flanges of the tray, as indicated at 12, and cemented or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the tray.

The two trays forming the body of the case are hinged together in any suitable manner, as by a leaf hinge generally indicated at 13 fixed to the adjacent flanges of the trays by rivets 14. As shown in Fig. 3 a torsion spring 15 surrounds the pintel 16 of the hinge with its ends 17 engaging the leaves 18 of the hinge to normally urge the case to open position. The case is held close-d by a conventional spring catch 19 carried by onehalf of the case and having a hook member 20 engageable in a suitable opening 21 in the other half to hold the case closed against the action of spring 15. Alternatively the hinge 13 may be controlled by a bow spring 25 (Figs. 6 and 7) 'by which the case is releasably held in both closed and open position in a well known manner.

A suitable key hanger support 26, such as that shown in Patent No. 2,709,358 is riveted, as indicated in dotted lines at 27, Fig. 2, or otherwise secured to one of the tray members forming the case and sufficiently close to the adjacent notch 7 as to substantially fill and close the opening 8 formed by the notches 7 when the case is closed, Fig. 5.

A lining member 28 formed of a sheet of leather or other suitable material, covers the inturned edges 12 of the cover sheet 11, the exposed portions of the inner faces of the tray members 4, the hinge 13 and the attachment 27 of the holder 26, as best shown in Fig. 2. The slots 29 of the holder 26 are provided with a complement of suitable key hanger loops, one of which is shown at 30. In the typical loop support the loop swings in a slot in the support, its outward swinging movement being limited by engagement of the shank of the loop with the end of the slot, so that when the loop is swung outwardly of the case its shank does not engage the notch 7 adjacent which the support is fixed. The notch 7 in the ease-half opposite the support 26 is preferably Patented-Feb;- 24;. a

maintaining its taut smooth appearance.

31, to, prevent chafing of the cover at, that point when the case is closed with a selected loop 30, and its key, swung outwardly of the case as previously described. As will be apparent the openings 5 will overlie the main body of the keys in the caseand due to the flexible resistance of the plastic sheets 9 the body of keys engaged thereby Willbe resiliently held against harmful movement tending to abrade the case lining, at the same time that the non-rigidcharacter of the key engaged portion of the walls prevent cutting or marring of the lining by the edges of the keys. At the same time the resilient support afforded the cover sheet 11 by the sheet 10 prevents wrinkling or sagging of the cover sheet,

What is claimed is:

1. A key case comprising two substantially rigid trayshaped members hinged together along one side edge for swinging movement toward and from each other and forming a chamber between them when swung into superposed case closing relation, corresponding end walls of the members being each formed with an elongated notch, said notches positioned to mate with each other when the case is closed, an elongated key loop support fixed to the inner face of one of said members parallel to and closely adjacent the notch in the end wall thereof, a plurality of key receiving loops pivotally connected in spaced relation along said support for selective swinging movement to and from the case, said notches being of sufficient depth to permit the case to be 'closed with one or more loops extending outwardly of the case through the opening formed by said notches, said support substantially closing said opening when the case is closed, the bottom of the notch in the case-half opposite that to which the key loop support is secured being provided with a metal bead.

' 2. A key case comprising 'two substantially rigid trayshaped members hinged together along one side edge for swinging movement toward and from each other and forming a chamber between them when swung into superposed case closing relation, the central portion of at least one of the rigid tray members being cut away to form an opening therein, a sheet of thin flexible, hard plastic material overlying 'andclosing said opening, the members, including said plastic sheet, being covered inside and out with a, decorative sheet material, corresponding end walls of the members. beingeach formed with an elongated notch, said notches positioned .to mate with each other when the case is closed, an elongated key loop support fixed to thei'nner face of one of said members parallel to and closely adjacent thenotch in the end wall thereof, a plurality of key receiving loops pivotally connected in spaced relation along said support for selective swinging movement to and from the case, said notches being of suf'ficient depth to permit the case to be closed with one or more loops extending outwardly of the case through the opening formed by said notches, said support substantially closing said opening when the case is closed.- 1

3. A key case as in claim 2 having a soft, thin, flexible, resilient sheet of foamed plastic material interposed between the thin sheet of flexible hard plastic and the said sheet of decorative material covering the outer surface of the case.

References Cited in the file of this patent v UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,631,631 Vogel Mar. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 465.850 Canada June 13, 1950 

